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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28646229">Go Ahead and Cry Little Girl</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/slevpybell/pseuds/slevpybell'>slevpybell</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Wilds (TV 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cheating, Childhood, Drug Dealing, Enemies to Lovers, F/F, F/M, Gen, Homophobia, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Internalized Homophobia, Mentions of Cancer, Past Child Abuse, References to Drugs, Religious Imagery &amp; Symbolism, Sexual Abuse</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 13:14:44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,251</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28646229</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/slevpybell/pseuds/slevpybell</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Toni recognized the look in her eyes, and her stomach dropped. She'd made that look before, she never wanted to think something like that happened to her-- happened to Shelb's.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Becca Gilroy/Shelby Goodkind, Dot Campbell &amp; Shelby Goodkind, Shelby Goodkind/Toni Shalifoe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>121</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Go Ahead and Cry Little Girl</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dot doesn't remember a lot from second grade.</p><p>Of course she remembers the broad strokes but not exact concrete memories, of course she remembers the road trips with her dad, playing and swimming at the lake with all the neighborhood kids while the adults fish and barbeque, soccer games, little things, good things. When things were simple, when she was just a child who had no worries.</p><p>She does remember Shelby though, they lived in the same town after all, she would see her on her pink bike occasionally, she remembers how she used to be jealous of it, the white basket always filled with some sort of toy or snacks and the silver bell and ribbons tied to the tires, or at the store, or at school. For a little while their paths crossed enough that they were almost friends back in second grade.</p><p>When Shelby brought it up it took Dottie a few seconds to remember but now she can recall the days where her dad would have to drive Shelby home, or when all the kids from their soccer game went to her house after big games, eating watermelon slices and gulping down root beer and Kool aid, running around the yard playing, times when Shelby would watch movies in the living room or play with her Barbies while Dot would pull out her horse toys.</p><p>Dot remembers when Shelby's dad would show up, he'd stand up straight, a constant smile on his face that wouldn't quite reach his eyes, a beer in his right hand, his wife always sitting or standing next to him, always clean cut, always looking perfect. She always thought he was intimidating, whenever he would yell at his kids to stop Dot always remembers freezing, something about the way his voice sounded made everyone uncomfortable, though 6 year old Dorothy could never tell the adults would whisper things about the Goodkind's.</p><p>One day Shelby's dad was at practice instead of her mom or the usual missing parent, he sat in one of the blue fold out camping chairs, chatting with the other parents and occasionally yelling at Shelby as if he were the <em>coach</em>, after soccer practice he gave a tight smile to Dots dad, then walked off with Shelby, taking her teal and white floral backpack from her, Dots dad slimmed his eyes as he noticed the way he began getting angry with her, eventually getting fed up and roughly pulling the blond haired girl by the elbow across the field and shoving her into the silver mom van the Goodkind's drove around.</p><p>Dot remembers when they got home, she and her friend Veronica had run into the house, their parents going in behind them, as Dot went back downstairs after changing she ended up overhearing her dad talking with Veronicas mother in the kitchen as they made dinner for the girls "i've seen bruises on that girl" he said "it just ain't normal, the way he treats em' " "no, no I agree. I think he's hitting the wife too their just so scared of him" Dottie got bored eventually and followed Veronica into the living room, 4 of her dolls clutched in her hands.</p><p>The adult gossip only got worse as time went by, by the time Shelby was in 4th grade her father had completely disappeared from any event, only being seen with his children at the occasional barbeque. She remembers one night he raised his voice far too loud at Shelb's, his hands gripping her shoulders shaking her slightly, her pigtails shaking with the motion "you don't <em>act that way!</em>" If he was any louder he would've been screaming, his eyes were dark, his face red. Dot remembers freezing, Veronicas mother suddenly came up behind her, her hands comfortingly protecting her and Veronica from him, Dots dad stepped forward "hey now--" he started but Shelby's father didn't listen "we're leaving now" he barked, dragging a crying Shelby by her elbow across the backyards lawn towards their car, pulling one of their bags onto his shoulders as he left. Shelby's mother apologized as she rocks Shelbys baby brother, trying to shoosh him.</p><p>It took a while for the house party to go back to normal, Dottie remembers Veronica crying, she wanted to cry too. She tried to distract herself by looking at the sunset, orange and pink mixing together in the horizon. Her dad gave her a hug, pet her hair "it's okay Dottie-bear, it's okay."</p><p>That night she remembers her angry father in the kitchen, talking with the other adults "im gonna call child protective services, it just ain't right" Dot didn't know what that meant yet, she was only 10. So she just went back to the kids table and ate her pasta salad, oblivious to the heavy tension of the adults in the kitchen.</p><p>After the party Dottie's dad sat her down at the kitchen table to explain something important. A new word she was unused to. <em>Abuse</em>. "Some parents aren't good to their kids" Dot made a face "some dads get angry and hit their children, its called abuse" Dottie plays with her feet under the table "that's what you saw today" he put a hand on her cheek "and it is not okay, if you ever see anything Dottie you have to say something, you hear me?" She nods and he gives her a kiss on the forehead, wrapping her into his arms "does he hit Shelby?" She asks "...yes" he responded after awhile "remember if you ever see anything you tell me and a teacher immediately" "I will. I promise." He crouches down, and smiles "that's my girl."</p><p>After that Dot never saw Shelby at any event at all. Not barbecues, not dinners, not parties, not soccer games, not even school events, nothing. Dot didn't have time to worry about it though, her 11th birthday rolled by, then her 12th, 13th, 14th, and then suddenly... her father got diagnosed with cancer. She remembers all the changes that happened, her father trapped in bed, having to make dinner every night, nurses showing up, all the bottle of pills, the late night visits to the hospital, her childhood was over, and the most she interacted with the hazel eyed blonde was when she passed her in the hallway, or when she gave drugs to her boyfriend always, always catching him with a different girl.</p><p>She doesn't deserve it. Dot would think everytime she walks away from his car, not that Shelby will ever take the advice.</p><p>"Your boyfriends cheating on you with Marie" Dot says, leaning against the red lockers of the changing room, Shelby in her red and white p.e. outfit, white tshirt with the school name on it and red shorts that seemed far too tight for highschool students, tying her sneakers.  "What???" Shelby asks incredulously "I just thought you'd want to know."</p><p>She see's Shelby arguing with him in the hallway after p.e., but then at lunch hes sitting next to her, his hand on her lap, she was looking away from him, a distinct sour look on her face, but he just gropes her thigh seeming to ignore it all together. Dot rolls her eyes, she wants to just grab her by the shoulder sometimes, shake her until she understands, but she barely knows that girl now, the whispers of 2nd grade gone now. She wonders sometimes if her dad still hits her.</p><p> </p><p><em>Maybe she should talk to her more</em>.</p>
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